Roaming for mobile e-commerce

Abstract

A method is disclosed by which a user of a roaming mobile station can procure services and goods from a content provider at a visiting site. The content provider establishes contact with a mobile e-commerce server, the visited MeC server. The visited MeC server directs the request to the users home MeC server. The home MeC server performs the authentication of the user. In this way security relevant information is not revealed to the visited MeC server.

1. A Method for performing an e-Commerce transaction via a mobile telephone network enabling the user of a visiting Mobile Station (MS) to procure services or goods from a local Content Provider (CP), the method comprising:
 routing a request from the mobile station to procure a service or goods from the content provider to a visited Mobile e-Commerce (MeC) server handling the security and payment processes; 
 the visited mobile e-commerce server identifying the home mobile e-commerce server of the mobile station; 
 the visited mobile e-commerce server directing the mobile station to its home mobile e-commerce server; 
 the home mobile e-commerce server security verifying the mobile station and determining payment details; 
 passing the result of the security verification and payment details to the visited mobile e-commerce server indicating the transaction can continue; 
 the visited mobile e-commerce server contacting a Financial Institution (Fl) to get payment clearance; 
 the content provider delivering the service or goods and financial institution sends the payment clearance, and the financial institution charging the user. 
 
     
     
       2. A method for performing an e-Commerce transaction via a mobile telephone network, enabling a user of a visiting Mobile Station (MS) to obtain services from a local Content Provider (CP) at a visiting site, comprising the steps of:
 routing a request from the mobile station, to obtain a service from the content provider, to a visited Mobile e-Commerce (MeC) server handling the security process; 
 the visited mobile e-commerce server identifying the home mobile e-commerce server of the mobile station; 
 the visited mobile e-commerce server directing the request to the mobile station home mobile e-commerce server; 
 the home mobile e-commerce server security verifying the mobile station, and returning a security related product to the visited mobile e-commerce server; and 
 the home mobile e-commerce server directing the mobile station to the visited mobile e-commerce server to complete the transaction. 
 
     
     
       3. A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the security related product is an authentication result, a digital signature or a digital certificate. 
     
     
       4. A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the security verification step includes:
 receiving a contract from the local content provider and delivering the contract to the home mobile e-commerce server; 
 directing the mobile station to the home mobile e-commerce server, wherein the home mobile e-commerce server responds with the contract; 
 sending the user's Personal Identification Number (PIN) to the home mobile e-commerce server to accept the contract; and, 
 the home mobile e-commerce server verifying the PIN and transmitting the result of the verification to the visited mobile e-commerce server. 
 
     
     
       5. A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the security verification step further comprises:
 receiving a contract from the local content provider and delivering the contract it to the home mobile e-commerce server; 
 the home mobile e-commerce server responding with a contract, when the mobile station is directed to the home mobile e-commerce server; 
 the mobile station accepting the contract by returning a first digital signature generated in the mobile station; and 
 the home mobile e-commerce server verifying the first digital signature, packaging said first digital signature into a second standard digital signature, and transmitting the second digital signature to the visited mobile e-commerce server. 
 
     
     
       6. A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the step of identifying the home mobile e-commerce server further comprises:
 the visited mobile e-commerce server consulting a table of available mobile e-commerce servers and subsequently issuing a request (roamUserRequest) to each mobile e-commerce server, wherein the request includes the following fields: 
 subscriber identity and 
 request type, such as payment or other service, whereupon each requested mobile e-commerce server responds with a message (roamUserResponse) including the following fields: 
 subscriber identity; 
 request type; 
 accept or reject; 
 additional information available for the subscriber; and 
 continuing to consult the table and sending the roamUserRequest until one of the contacted mobile e-commerce servers issue a positive response, or the list of available servers is exhausted. 
 
     
     
       7. A method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the table of available mobile e-commerce servers includes the fields:
 name of the mobile e-commerce server; 
 access address of the mobile e-commerce server; 
 country, in which the mobile e-commerce server is located; 
 country code and local prefix of the mobile e-commerce server; and 
 the visited mobile e-commerce server performing a logical search in the table to narrow down the number of possible mobile e-commerce servers. 
 
     
     
       8. A method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the table of available mobile e-commerce servers only comprises servers that have established a partnership with the visited mobile e-commerce server. 
     
     
       9. A method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the requests and the responses are digitally signed by the mobile e-commerce servers. 
     
     
       10. A method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein identifying the home mobile e-commerce , causes both servers to authenticate. 
     
     
       11. A Method as claimed in  claim 10  wherein client-server authentication is used in the communication between the mobile station and the home mobile e-commerce server. 
     
     
       12. A system for performing an e-Commerce transaction via a mobile telephone network, enabling a user of a visiting mobile station (MS) to obtain services from a local Content Provider (CP) at a visiting site, the system comprising:
 means for routing a request from the mobile station, to obtain a service, from the content provider to a visited mobile e-commerce (MeC) server handling the security process; 
 the visited mobile e-commerce server having means for
 identifying the home mobile e-commerce server of the mobile station; 
 directing the request to the mobile station home mobile e-commerce server; 
 security verifying the mobile station, and 
 returning a security related product to the visited mobile e-commerce server; and 
 
 the home mobile e-commerce server having means for directing the mobile station to the visited mobile e-commerce server to complete the transaction. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the means for returning a security related product is an authentication result, a digital signature or a digital certificate. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the means for security verification includes:
 means for receiving a contract from the local content provider and delivering the contract to the home mobile e-commerce server; 
 means for directing the mobile station to the home mobile e-commerce server, wherein the home mobile e-commerce server responds with the contract; 
 means for sending the user's Personal Identification Number (PIN) to the home mobile e-commerce server to accept the contract; and, 
 the home mobile e-commerce server having means for verifying the PIN and transmitting the result of the verification to the visited mobile e-commerce server. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the means for security verification further comprises:
 means for receiving a contract from the local content provider and delivering the contract it to the home mobile e-commerce server; 
 the home mobile e-commerce server having means for responding with a contract, when the mobile station is directed to the home mobile e-commerce server; 
 the mobile station having means for accepting the contract by returning a first digital signature generated in the mobile station; and 
 the home mobile e-commerce server having means for verifying the first digital signature, packaging said first digital signature into a second standard digital signature, and transmitting the second digital signature to the visited mobile e-commerce server. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the means for identifying the home mobile e-commerce server further comprises:
 the visited mobile e-commerce server having means for consulting a table of available mobile e-commerce servers and subsequently issuing a request (roamUserRequest) to each mobile e-commerce server, wherein the request includes the following fields: 
 subscriber identity and 
 request type, such as payment or other service, whereupon each requested mobile e-commerce server responds with a message (roamUserResponse) including the following fields: 
 subscriber identity; 
 request type; 
 accept or reject; 
 additional information available for the subscriber; and 
 the visited mobile e-commerce server having means for continuing to consult the table and sending the roamUserRequest until one of the contacted mobile e-commerce servers issue a positive response, or the list of available servers is exhausted. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the table of available mobile e-commerce servers includes the fields:
 name of the mobile e-commerce server; 
 access address of the mobile e-commerce server; 
 country, in which the mobile e-commerce server is located; 
 country code and local prefix of the mobile e-commerce server; and 
 the visited mobile e-commerce server performing a logical search in the table to narrow down the number of possible mobile e-commerce servers. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the table of available mobile e-commerce servers only comprises servers that have established a partnership with the visited mobile e-commerce server. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the requests and the responses are digitally signed by the mobile e-commerce servers. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the means for identifying the home mobile e-commerce, causes both servers to authenticate. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 20  wherein client-server authentication is used in the communication between the mobile station and the home mobile e-commerce server.